Emerging Women

Today, March 8, is International Women’s Day – a day dedicated worldwide to recognizing the achievements of women. I wanted to highlight some of the posts women in our network created to honor the day. If you have a link you would like us to add, leave it in the comments and it will be added to the list.

Angie Muresan reflects on celebrating IWD in Romania– “When I was a child, every March 8 dawned fresh and glistening. In our country it was a national holiday, a celebration of being a woman, a mother, a wife, a colleague. Children at school worked on crafts and wrote letters to their mothers. Men brought flowers and chocolates for the females in their lives. Mothers sent children to school with bouquets of spring flowers for the female teachers, and after saying, “I kiss your hand,” the obligatory child to female adult greeting, we would give them the flowers.”

And she is hosting a book giveaway in honor of the day, so stop by her site!

Kathy Escobar writes on the power of being wanted – “there’s a strong and powerful undercurrent in the patriarchical, hierarchical systems that have permeated the church that says to women “we don’t really want you.” well, actually we do, but we want you “if you will play by our power rules” or to “do the grunt work that needs to get done, take care of the kids & keep the world spinning round at church & at home.” but we don’t really want all of you–your powerful, creative, beautiful gifts & powerful, wise, nurturing voice side-by-side us as equals together.”

Sonja Andrews takes on Women’s History Month – “But there is something about the idea of having the dominant population “allow” a month for women’s history or african-american history or whatever history that is vaguely unsettling. Because if the culturally dominant population is still in a position to allow this, then they are also in a position to take it back. Which means … they still hold all the power.”

Julie Clawson writes on why we need IWD – “But the fact remains, if women truly were treated as equals, valued for our contributions, respected for our ideas, and not assumed to be inferior or incapable in any way, then there would not need to be a day to bring attention to the achievements of women.”

And I have to add, Nicholas Kristof’s New York Times article today on three proven steps to advance the world’s women as a informative must read.

The world is celebrating International Women’s Day today. It is a day dedicated to the celebration of women’s social, economic and political achievements worldwide. In the United States, this official day of observance is rooted in women’s efforts to campaign for rights to work, vote and hold public office, culminating on March 8, 1908, when 15,000 women marched through New York City demanding shorter work hours, better pay, voting rights, and an end to sweatshop conditions and child labor. It is a day to celebrate justice and to listen to women’s voices.

So today many of us are taking time to listen to the voices of women of faith – looking to the women in the Bible, church history, and those who helped shape our faith. Some of us are blogging in a synchroblog and others are preaching about biblical women in churches.

For example –

Christine Sine reflects on why observing International Women’s Day is important – “Some think that singling out women and their achievements like this is outdated and even obsolete. I suspect they are unaware of how many women still struggle to treated as equals. I will never forget the Cambodian refugee who said to me “Your being here gives me hope that one day my daughters will have the same kind of freedom that you have.” The commemoration of a day like this which has fostered massive change, not only for women, but for children, the underprivileged and victims of discrimination still gives hope to those who long for freedom. Its achievements cannot be forgotten or taken for granted.”

Minnowspeaks gives a poignant summary on what it means to her to celebrate women – “I want to celebrate women, and I do! I celebrate those beautiful women who, rather than focus on the injustices that have risen up against them, rejoice in their lack and know it is enough to be loved of God. I celebrate those hands and feet and hearts that do the little and in doing a little teach the rest of us that we too can do a little. I celebrate those women who face circumstances much more heart breaking, challenging, and costly then my own and yet who do not give in or run away. I celebrate them because while they could stand in judgment against me; they do not. I celebrate them because they are beacons of hope in a world that needs to be reminded what hope looks like. I celebrate them because I need to be reminded what they look like.”

Pam Hogeweide considers what the world is missing when women are silenced – “The devil was brilliant when he inspired misogyny. Convince a people group that women are less than in some way or capacity and you have effectively cut that tribe’s power base in half. At least by half. Oh yeah, make sure the gender you are neutering are the primary caregivers in the home and of children so they will ensure that the next generation continues the tradition of gender inequality.”

Teresa upholds the various roles biblical women served in – “It’s interesting to note that Paul does not commend Phoebe and Junia or the other women in Romans 16 for being good wives and mothers, which leads me to think that, in Paul’s mind, these roles do not define Biblical womanhood, important though they may be. So we women should celebrate the many gifts we have been given and live the lives God has in store for us, not cowtowing to just one limited image of who we are supposed to be.”

And in her reflection on the single mom who Elisha helps in 2 Kings 4: 1-7, Sensuous Wife gives us words on encouragement when helping single moms – “When God pours out good and blessing in her life, help her to receive it. Don’t deny yourself the joy of being one of the jars of miracles in the life of a single mother.”

I encourage you to read through the following links and hear how others have listened to the voices of women. If you have a link you would like to add to the list or a description of your church service, please post it in the comments.

Julie Clawson on the God who sees
Steve Hayes on St. Theodora the Iconodule
Sonja Andrews on Aunt Jemima
Sensuous Wife on a single mom in the Bible
Minnowspeaks on celebrating women
Michelle Van Loon on the persistant widow
Lyn Hallewell on the strength of biblical women
Shawna Atteberry on the Daughter of Mary Magdalene
Christine Sine on women who impacted her life
Susan Barnes on Tamar, Ruth, and Mary
Kathy Escobar on standing up for nameless and voiceless women
Ellen Haroutunian on out from under the veil
Liz Dyer on Mary and Martha
Bethany Stedman on Shiphrah and Puah
Dan Brennan on Mary Magdalene
Jessica Schafer on Bathsheba
Eugene Cho on Lydia
Laura sorts through what she knows about women in the Bible
Miz Melly preached on the woman at the well
AJ Schwanz on women’s work
Pam Hogeweide on teenage girls changing the world
Teresa on the women Paul didn’t hate
Helen on Esther
Happy on Abigail
Mark Baker-Wright on telling stories
Robin M. on Eve
Alan Knox is thankful for the women who served God
Lainie Petersen on the unnamed concubine
Mike Clawson on cultural norms in the early church
Krista on serving God
Bob Carlton on Barbie as Icon
Jan Edmiston preached on the unnamed concubine
Deb on her namesake – Deborah
Makeesha on empowering women

The month of March is set aside as Women’s History Month. Next Sunday, March 8, is the official International Women’s Day. Many of us will be taking time that day on our blogs and in our churches to participate in a synchroblog/synchrosermon that deliberately takes time to look at the women of the Bible. But throughout this month, it would be great if we could recognize women’s history here at Emerging Women by highlighting the stories of women who have inspired us. This could be historical figures, writers, mentors, teachers, or family members. Sharing their stories can help us support each other and encourage women on this journey. So if there is a woman whose story you would like to tell, please send in your submissions. Even just a few sentences explaining why this woman is significant to you would be great. So take some time to reflect and send in your stories to emergingwomen (at) gmail (dot) com.